Grab plate assembly

A grab plate assembly for retaining an inner cylindrical tube in a fixed telescopic position relative to an outer cylindrical tube where the inner and outer cylindrical tubes telescopically engage to form a telescoping post, the grab plate assembly comprising:

• a grab plate having a tube receiving opening therein, the tube receiving opening having a polygonal shape with a plurality of side edges defining a plurality of points of contact with the inner cylindrical tube when said tube is inserted through the tube receiving opening,
• an elongate lever arm integral with the grab plate and angled from the grab plate such that the lever arm is deflected horizontally downward when the telescoping post is vertically oriented, the lever arm including a slot, the slot having a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lever arm, and
• an actuating rod, the actuating rod secured to the outer cylindrical tube through a threadable engagement of the actuating rod and a threaded bore in a bracket secured to the outer cylindrical tube, the actuating rod having an upper end that extends through the slot with a fixed nut, bushing or washer seated to the upper end and adjacent a first side of the slot, the actuating rod further comprising a fixed nut, bushing or washer seated to the actuating rod adjacent to a second, opposite side of the slot,
• wherein, turning the actuating rod in a first direction lifts the lever arm causing the side edges of the tube receiving opening to compressively engage multiple points on the inner cylindrical tube thereby resisting telescopic movement of the inner cylindrical tube relative to the outer cylindrical tube,
• and wherein, turning the actuating rod in a second opposite direction lowers the lever arm causing the side edges of the tube receiving opening to disengage from the inner cylindrical tube and to permit telescopic movement of the inner cylindrical tube relative to the outer cylindrical tube.